This team has been too brutal to write about. But
finally some good news, if not exactly a surprise.
The Mets will announce shortly after the season that general manager
Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel won't be returning in their roles,
sources say. The announcements are likely to be made before the playoffs
begin Wednesday. The changes will not come as a surprise, as they have
been widely assumed for a few weeks now.
It isn't expected that
either replacement will be named immediately. There's no evidence the
Mets have begun contacting GM candidates. The new GM is expected to have
a big say in the hiring of a new manager, so the managerial position
will remain vacant for a period, as well.
Minaya is believed to
have an option to leave the organization once he is removed as GM, but a
couple people close to Minaya said he may consider another position
within the organization if it suits him, though others suggest he may
choose to leave. Minaya's background and greatest strength is in
scouting. The team will be responsible to pay the final two years of a
contract that pays him at least $1 million annually. Minaya is beloved
by his co-workers, and several people hope he stays, but that is no
certainty.
The Mets hold an option on Manuel's contract that won't
be renewed. He is also well-liked in the organization. Both Minaya and
Manuel had early successes in their tenures.
Mets higherups are
concerned about ticket sales and seem to be considering high-profile
people for both jobs.
The Mets are planning to go outside the
organization for the GM position and are thought to be considering
several people, including former Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes, White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn and former A's GM
Sandy Alderson. Rangers GM Jon Daniels, a Bayside, Queens product, could
be an intriguing option as he has an "out'' in his Texas contract, but
the new Rangers ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg has made it clear
they want to retain him. Respected assistant GM John Ricco is expected
to stay in his current role, but is said by people to fully understand
the intention to go outside the organization for the GM position
following a second straight losing season. The Mets are 77-82, an
improvement from their 70-92 mark a year ago, but not enough to satisfy
the club-owning Wilpons. They have missed the playoffs four straight
seasons.
Wally Backman, the manager at the club's Single-A
Brooklyn affiliate, has been mentioned prominently as a possible
in-house managerial candidate, but there will be others. Some both
inside and outside the organization believe it's a leap to think someone
should be promoted from the Class-A to manage the Mets, but he is liked
by some with power in the organization, is credited for a very good job
in Brooklyn and fits the profile of a "high energy'' manager they will
seek. Bobby Valentine is expected to be discussed, and while he
succeeded in his first stint with the Mets, taking them to the playoffs
in 1999 and the World Series in 2000, it isn't yet known whether either
party desires a second go-round. Valentine could also be a candidate
elsewhere, including Seattle.
